Systems and Methods for Dynamic Association Ordering Based on Service Differentiation in Wireless Local Area Networks

1. A method of associating a station with an access point, comprising: determining, at an access point based on a request for an association transaction between a station and the access point, a set of attributes associated with the station, the request for the association transaction comprising association policy information identifying a first station class permitted to associate with the access point and a second station class permitted to associate with the access point; accessing a set of prioritization criteria; determining a station priority for the station based on the set of attributes associated with the station and based on the set of prioritization criteria; and scheduling, by the access point based on the station priority relative to a second station priority associated with a second station, an order in which to conduct: a first association transaction exchange for the station to associate the station with the access point, relative to a second association transaction exchange for the second station to associate the second station with the access point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a probe request.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an authentication request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an association request, and wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises comparing the station priority to the second station priority.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission that includes the association policy information identifying the first and second station classes permitted to associate with the access point during a beacon interval associated with the beacon transmission.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling a probe response based on the station priority.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an authentication response based on the station priority.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an association response based on the station priority.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises at least one of: a subscription status of the station; a set of station configuration data for the station; a proximity of the station to the access point; or a handoff status of the station.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises the subscription status of the station, and wherein the subscription status of the station comprises at least one of: a subscription tier, a quality of service tier, a data rate tier, a data allowance tier, or a minimum uptime tier.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the station priority is an aggregate priority rating based on a plurality of attributes of the set of attributes associated with the station.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission of a plurality of beacon transmissions, further comprising: determining a first number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the first station class as being permitted to associate with the access point, and determining a second number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the second station class as being permitted to associate with the access point.

13. A system, comprising: a wireless interface to facilitate communication between a station and an access point; and a processor configured to communicate with the station via the wireless interface, the processor being further configured to: initiate a request for an association transaction between the station and the access point, the request for the association transaction comprising association policy information identifying a first station class permitted to associate with the access point and a second station class permitted to associate with the access point, determine a set of attributes associated with the station, access a set of prioritization criteria for use by the access point, determine a station priority for the station based on the set of attributes associated with the station and on the set of prioritization criteria, and schedule, based on the station priority relative to a second station priority associated with a second station, an order in which to conduct: a first association transaction exchange for the station to associate the station with the access point, relative to a second association transaction exchange for the second station to associate the second station with the access point.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a probe request.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an authentication request.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an association request, and wherein the processor is configured to schedule the association transaction exchange based on comparing the station priority to the second station priority.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission including the association policy information identifying the first and second station classes permitted to associate with the access point during a beacon interval associated with the beacon transmission.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling a probe response based on the station priority.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an authentication response based on the station priority.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an association response based on the station priority.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises at least one of: a subscription status of the station; a set of station configuration data for the station; a proximity of the station to the access point; or a handoff status of the station.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises the subscription status of the station, and wherein the subscription status of the station comprises at least one of: a subscription tier, a quality of service tier, a data rate tier, a data allowance tier, or a minimum uptime tier.

23. The system of claim 13 , wherein the station priority is an aggregate priority rating based on a plurality of attributes of the set of attributes associated with the station.

24. The system of claim 13 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission of a plurality of beacon transmissions, and wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a first number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the first station class as being permitted to associate with the access point, and determine a second number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the second station class as being permitted to associate with the access point.

25. A system, comprising: means for interfacing a station and an access point; and means for scheduling an association transaction, the means for scheduling the association transaction being configured to: communicate with the station via the means for interfacing, initiate a request for an association transaction between the station and the access point, the request for the association transaction comprising association policy information identifying a first station class permitted to associate with the access point and a second station class permitted to associate with the access point, determine a set of attributes associated with the station, access a set of prioritization criteria for use by the access point, determine a station priority for the station based on the set of attributes associated with the station and on the set of prioritization criteria, and schedule, based on the station priority relative to a second station priority associated with a second station, an order in which to conduct: a first association transaction exchange for the station to associate the station with the access point, relative to a second association transaction exchange for the second station to associate the second station with the access point.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a probe request.

27. The system of claim 25 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an authentication request.

28. The system of claim 25 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an association request, and wherein the means for scheduling the association transaction exchange is configured to schedule the association transaction exchange based on comparing the station priority to the second station priority.

29. The system of claim 25 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission including the association policy information identifying the first and second station classes permitted to associate with the access point during a beacon interval associated with the beacon transmission.

30. The system of claim 25 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling a probe response based on the station priority.

31. The system of claim 25 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an authentication response based on the station priority.

32. The system of claim 25 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an association response based on the station priority.

33. The system of claim 25 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises at least one of: a subscription identifier for the station; a set of station configuration data for the station; a proximity of the station to the access point; or a handoff status of the station.

34. The system of claim 33 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station further comprises a subscription status of the station, and wherein the subscription status comprises at least one of: a subscription tier, a quality of service tier, a data rate tier, a data allowance tier, or a minimum uptime tier.

35. The system of claim 25 , wherein the station priority is an aggregate priority rating based on a plurality of attributes of the set of attributes associated with the station.

36. The system of claim 25 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission of a plurality of beacon transmissions, and wherein the means for scheduling the association transaction is further configured to: determine a first number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the first station class as being permitted to associate with the access point, and determine a second number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the second station class as being permitted to associate with the access point.

37. A computer program product, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising: initiating a request for an association transaction between a station and an access point, the request for the association transaction comprising association policy information identifying a first station class permitted to associate with the access point and a second station class permitted to associate with the access point; determining a set of attributes associated with the station; accessing a set of prioritization criteria for use by the access point; determining a station priority for the station based on the set of attributes associated with the station and on the set of prioritization criteria; and scheduling, based on the station priority relative to a second station priority associated with a second station, an order in which to conduct: a first association transaction exchange for the station to associate the station with the access point, relative to a second association transaction exchange for the second station to associate the second station with the access point.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a probe request.

39. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an authentication request.

40. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises an association request, and wherein scheduling the association transaction exchange includes comparing the station priority to the second station priority.

41. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission including the association policy information identifying the first and second station classes permitted to associate with the access point during a beacon interval associated with the beacon transmission.

42. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling a probe response based on the station priority.

43. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an authentication response based on the station priority.

44. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the scheduling of the association transaction exchange comprises scheduling an association response based on the station priority.

45. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station comprises at least one of: a subscription identifier for the station; a set of station configuration data for the station; a proximity of the station to the access point; or a handoff status of the station.

46. The computer program product of claim 45 , wherein the set of attributes associated with the station further comprises a subscription status of the station, and wherein the subscription status comprises at least one of: a subscription tier, a quality of service tier, a data rate tier, a data allowance tier, or a minimum uptime tier.

47. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the station priority is an aggregate priority rating based on a plurality of attributes of the set of attributes associated with the station.

48. The computer program product of claim 37 , wherein the request for the association transaction comprises a beacon transmission of a plurality of beacon transmissions, and wherein the operations further comprise: determining a first number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the first station class as being permitted to associate with the access point, and determining a second number of the plurality of beacon transmissions in which to include association policy information identifying the second station class as being permitted to associate with the access point.